303: The Library Loiterers - Vol. 1: Following the Fear with Tim Miller at Robarts Library

Welcome, dear friends, to the library. 

Each episode finds me loitering in a library with a special guest in a location of their choosing. We comb the stacks and have a chat about passions, practices, and possibilities, letting the story unfold as it will. You’re encouraged to read between the lines because it’s going to be a real page turner… 

Welcome to The Library Loiterers.

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Our story begins in the early days of the 21st century. I, Diana Varma, was a young teen and emerging drama nerd. Our guest was a student teacher who we all adored from day 1 and we were thrilled that he was hired in the drama department to officially begin his teaching career the following fall. I just so happened to be in that first period grade 10 drama class that began on Tuesday, September 4, 2001. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tim Miller is a high school educator of 20 years, focusing on drama, but also teaching music, history, and related subjects. His wife of 30 years and-long suffering adult children tolerate him. But his Great Dane, Winston, thinks he’s pretty cool. He is a huge fan of Film and TV but his true love is Improv.

When given the option of any library to visit, these were Tim’s words exactly: “I went to U of T… Robarts was my nemesis…THAT might be it!” 

Robarts Library is Canada’s largest academic library located at 130 St. George St. in Toronto. “Fort Book” is an example of Brutalist design, built in 1973 and home to extensive collections—both print and digital—as well as many study and collaborative spaces.

Here are a few facts about Robarts Library from an article in University of Toronto Magazine called “How Robarts Library Got Its Distinctive Look” published in October 2023:

• The building is massive— each of its sides is the length of a Canadian football field. 

• The bell tower “head” of the peacock or turkey (if you zoom out, the library does look a little fowl…) was accidental and simply decorative.

• The library houses 4 million volumes! 

• The building cost $42 million in 1973 to construct (about $280 million in 2023 dollars).

• When it first opened in 1973 it was the largest academic library building in the world.

• An 8th elevator was never completed but on some floors you can see the outline of doors for the “ghost elevator”.

• Originally, cloakrooms housed motorized hangers that could store up to 4,000 coats.

And so, on a January day in the year 2026, I find myself at Robarts Library, mic-ing up my drama teacher from half a lifetime ago, and getting ready to have a long-overdue reunion (proving—once again—that nothing connects us quite like books). It’s time to hit the stacks to see what unfolds. 

About Our Guest:

Tim Miller is a high school educator of 20 years, focusing on drama, but also teaching music, history, and related subjects. His wife of 30 years and-long suffering adult children tolerate him. But his Great Dane, Winston, thinks he’s pretty cool. He is a huge fan of Film and TV but his true love is Improv.

Colophon:

• Recorded on location at Robarts Library on January 8, 2026.

• Music tracks used in this episode were both from the Free Music Archive. 

  • Bach - Aria Variata, BVW. 989 - Variation No. 2 by Brendan Kinsella is licensed under a Public Domain License.

  • Variatio 6 a 1 Clav. Canone alla Seconda by Kimiko Ishizaka is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License.

• Sound Effects were all Creative Commons 0 license from Freesound.org

  • Creak 11.wav by jameswrowles -- https://freesound.org/s/323546/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

  • pages turning.wav by simone_ds -- https://freesound.org/s/366079/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 

  • Scribble.wav by TiesWijnen -- https://freesound.org/s/341738/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

  • group shush by chapter15studios -- https://freesound.org/s/760256/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Text is set in conversation, bound by curiosity. Until next time…